Boston, Verizon reach agreement to spread FiOS coverage

The city of Boston has amended the Verizon cable television license to bring the telecommunications carrier to more neighborhoods in Boston, Mayor Marty Walsh announced.

The amendment will double the area of the city served by Verizon FiOS from 28 percent to 56 percent.

“We are a proud partner in expanding access to broadband choice to more Boston neighborhoods and communities,” said Walsh. “Providing constituents with fast and affordable broadband helps us support the ongoing efforts to spur innovation and economic opportunity in all neighborhoods.”

In April 2016, the city announced a partnership with Verizon to replace Boston’s copper-based infrastructure with a state-of-the-art fiber-optic network that offers fast broadband speeds. Since then, Verizon has been constructing their network in their original service area of Dorchester, the Dudley Square neighborhood in Roxbury and West Roxbury.

The new amendment will expand access to Verizon FiOS to include all of Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale and Roxbury, as well as parts of South Boston and the South Boston Waterfront, as part of the provider’s next phase of network construction and build out.

“This agreement brings increased competition and choice for broadband and entertainment services in Boston,” said the city’s chief of information and technology, Jascha Franklin-Hodge. “Providing more constituents with internet options will help lower costs and make internet access affordable to more families and businesses.”

The amendment also expands the amount of fiber that Verizon will provide to the city of Boston to connect schools, support the delivery of city services, and enhance public safety communications systems.

The license and amendment and other documents related to the licensing process are available online at http://boston.gov/fios.

“Boston has welcomed FiOS, and the superior service, competition and choice Verizon delivers, with open arms,” said New England Region President Donna Cupelo. “Since we introduced FiOS in Boston late last year, we’ve almost doubled available data speed, and now offer our FiOS Gigabit Connection service. Our teams are outside everyday transforming Boston’s technology foundation.”